JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – News4JAX is celebrating Black History Month the whole month of February by showcasing local Black men and women making a difference in the community.
Dr. Khalil Orsborn is one of the only Black orthodontists in Jacksonville.
Orsborn Orthodontics has been in Jacksonville since 2006, and Orsborn has fixed more than 10,000 smiles along the way.
“The community accepted me and embraced me,” Orsborn said. “Sometimes I come in and patients say I was looking for a Black orthodontist.”
Out of all board-certified orthodontists in the U.S., only about 3% of them are Black, according to Zippia.
Orsborn wants to inspire young people, so we can see more Black orthodontists in Jacksonville.
He said the best part of his job is connecting with his patients.
“My favorite part of being an orthodontist is being able to change someone’s smile and someone’s confidence level,” Orsborn said.
Orsborn said he didn’t always want to be an orthodontist. He went to Howard University wanting to become a dentist.
“My childhood dentist was great,” he said. “I would talk to him about the profession growing up.”
He said he excelled in the orthodontics course he took and decided to pursue that specialty instead of dentistry.
Orsborn said after he graduated, he was only one of six Black students taking the orthodontic board exam.
“Many times, I come to the office and during my consultation, they’re like, ‘Oh, you’re the doctor?’” Orsborn said. “I want young people to know that, ‘Hey, you can wear the white coat. You can be a doctor.’”
Orsborn also said it was important that he hired a diverse staff.
“I believe that in order to treat your community, you have to represent the community,” he said.
A man with a passion for fixing smiles, Orsborn makes his patients and employees smile daily.
Orsborn Orthodontics has two offices, one on Cesery Boulevard and one on Dunn Avenue.